Alice
by illutia mist
Summary: What Natsume Hyuga wanted was to save his sister. What Luca Nogi wanted was to have his betrothed back. With the same objection in mind, the two best friends set off on a journey, not expecting things to be more complicated than they thought it would be.


**Hola! I'm back!**

**Here's a new story to celebrate 2013! And also illutia mist's fifth anniversary last Christmas Eve. Late I know. I just couldn't find the time to finish typing the story for the fifth anniversary, so I thought of keeping it for my next anniversary.**

**Thank you very much for your support all this time. I wish you a Very Happy New Year 2013. Hope all of you have a wonderful year ahead as well.**

**Now, move on to the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice and its characters.**

**Credits for the cover: The rough sketch in pencil and the title go to me. The digital line art and coloring go to my dear sister. Thanks for your help, dear! (Bear's hug)**

**-o-O-o-**

**Alice**

**-o-**

**Prologue**

**-o-O-o-**

Red.

Splatters of red covered his hands.

They matched the color of his eyes, bright and burning with anger. They came from his own lips, tasting metallic and salty, taunting him with his current disadvantages.

Hot.

Red and orange were blazing in the vast hall, surrounding him and his friends with its scorching heat.

The fire circled the pillars, ascended the wall and crawled on the ceiling, slowly covering and devouring the room. It had no intention to stop soon. It wouldn't be long until the fire consumed what remained inside and turned the building into a huge torch.

The smoke slowly thickened, filling the space until they couldn't smell anything else but the fumes of smoldered furniture and wood. Through the buzzing sound of burning fire and the man's victory laughter in the room, he could faintly hear his comrades' pessimistic whispers. Their worries and panic lingered thickly in the air. He could hear them alternately shout to the mad man standing at the throne with a captive in his hands. Some were cursing, some were asking and pleading, while the rest were calling for the hostage's name.

_Her_ name.

He shook his head to clear his vision. His mouth opened as he gathered his voice in his throat, yet nothing came out but another round of coughs and more drops of red. He heard footsteps shuffle around him and felt presences surrounding him. He heard them call his name. He heard _her_ call him.

How vexing.

It wasn't the time for this. It wasn't the time to make them worry about him. It wasn't the time for his body to break down.

He needed to knock the mad man awake from his foolish dream. He needed to save _her_.

And yet, he couldn't even bring himself to stand up and move. His whole body trembled greatly after his power went haphazard earlier. He felt his own being was slowly devoured by the remaining burning fire inside him.

Damn that man. Damn himself.

There must be something he could do. Something. Anything.

'_Gather them.'_

The forgotten whisper crossed his head fleetingly.

'_Focus, and let it flow.'_

He snapped his eyes open and stared at his hands on the floor.

Yeah. That was right. There was still something he could do, even if it was the last thing he could ever accomplish.

It was dangerous, but this seemed to be the only way at this moment. Whether everything would change after this, he couldn't be sure.

It was a gamble.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself up and stumbled forward. When his comrades moved to follow, he lifted his right hand up to them, silently telling them to stop, and walked as far as he could.

He started the countdown in his head.

_Gather them_.

Anxiety filled him, but it dissolved in each step he took. He could feel his power assembling in his chest once again before they surged through his whole being. His chest ached, as if knowing what was coming soon. Yet he refused to stop.

_Focus._

"There's nothing you can do," he heard the man say. "Everything is already over."

He stole a glance at the captive. Then he clenched his fists and looked to the enemy, his lips curling into a confident smirk. "Indeed."

_Let it flow_.

And his body was set ablaze.


End file.
